Chinese javelin thrower Shiying saving energy for Olympics

BEIJING: Liu Shiying, a silver medallist in the women’s javelin event at the 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships, is conserving energy for the Tokyo Olympics through a winter camp.

“I am trying to build my physical energy during winter camp, getting myself ready for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021,” Liu said.

The winter camp is being held in Liu’s hometown, eastern Chinese city of Yantai, Shandong province, reports Xinhua news agency.

The camp has been extraordinarily long for these Chinese javelin throwers, since it was extended because of the COVID-19 outbreak, and 27-year-old Liu and her teammates have been training here for months.

“Although we are not doctors or nurses who were fighting against the coronavirus on the front lines, we could train hard and hopefully bring more glory to our country,” she added.

Apart from physical training, these javelin throwers are taking online courses every week, seizing every chance to enhance themselves.

Meanwhile, former world race walk champion Yang Jiayu has adjusted her training schedule due to the postponement of the Tokyo Olympic Games and is readying herself for an Olympic debut, she said recently.

Tokyo Olympics, which were supposed to be held in July later this year, has been postponed to an uncertain date to the next year. The future course of action will be decided with a view on pandemic. It also stands a chance of being cancelled altogether if coronavirus persists.

Yang, 2017 world champion in the 20km race walk, was preparing to make her first Olympic appearance this year in Tokyo but the 24-yearold’s plan was scrapped as the Tokyo Games were pushed back for one year due to the COVID-19 outbreak, reports Xinhua news agency.

“I trained very well during the winter camp and I had a good plan. I was to compete in the national trial and get the qualification before I go to the long-awaited Olympics,” Yang said.